This document relates to devices and techniques for frequency conversion of radio frequency (RF) or microwave signals based on photonic processing.
RF or microwave signal processing can be achieved by using photonic components to perform certain signal processing operations in the optical domain to achieve certain technical advantages or benefits that may be difficult to achieve using electrically conductive RF or microwave components. In operation, an RF or microwave signal can be modulated onto an optical signal for photonic processing and an optical-to-electrical conversion is then performed to convert the optical signal into a desired RF or microwave signal. Examples of RF or microwave signal processing via photonic processing include, among others, generation of RF or microwave signals using opto-electronic oscillators, filtering or tuning of RF or microwave signals using photonics, using photonic components for receiving RF or microwave signals.